Im a young librarian in central Arkansas, and this blog is about my life, interests, goals, dreams, and favorite recipes! Blogging primarily about my life as someone with Hashimoto's who is gluten free and my new momhood.

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Some of the recipes I have tried so far. I will include the quantity of baby food produced for the recipes I remember the output on. Please remember that all quantities include liquid of formula or water introduced to produce the appropriate consistency for my baby. The size of the produce you choose to use and the amount of liquid you add will effect your total output. See previous post on how to prepare baby food using the Babycook.

The cost of store bought baby food (based on Plum Organics - my backup brand) in the store is 37 cents per ounce.

Bananas

Three bananas steamed on level 2 and pureed with formula (beware - banana will turn brown, but that doesnt mean its spoiled).

I purchased my Babycook when my daughter turned 6 months old because I wanted to make my own babyfood. I determined that this machine was cost effective for several reasons:

1.) Store bought babyfood costs $1 for every ounce to two ounces of babyfood
2.) I want to feed my daughter pure food without preservitives or chemical additives
3.) I want to know what my daughter is eating and control the flavors and seasonings she is exposed to
4.) I want to create a flavor palate experience that matches our general diet and provide a healthy foundation for my daughter's experience with food.
5.) This machine allows me to steam, puree, and reheat in one easy to clean device. No extra dishes to wash and I can easily make babyfood while cooking dinner.

About the Unit:

The Babycook includes instructions with indications on how much water is needed to cook the item you are planning to use.

The unit includes the base device which houses the water resoviour and the time/puree control,a cooking container, a steam basket, and a blade for pureeing, and a spatula for lifting the hot steam basket.

The cooking container looks like a blender pitcher. The blade connects to the bottom with a screw on the bottom on the unit. It is very easy to remove for cleaning. The cooking unit also has two sets of markings: measuring cup units on one side and water level measuring units on the other. The water level measuring units are marked: 1, 2, and 3. Level 1 is for reheating, level 2 is most fruits and vegtables, and level 3 is for denser procduce. The water is measured in the cooking unit and then it is poured into the base unit through a small hole at the top of the unit (under the lid hinge).

How to make your babyfood:

1.) Peel and chop produce (or meat) into small pieces - remove seeds and cores
2.) Measuse water and fill reserviour
3.) Snap cooking cointainer into base unit
4.) Put steam basket into cooking container
5.) Add food pieces into steam basket
6.) Close lit and press lock button
7.) Press the steam button (the machine times the cook based on the water level)
8.) When the steam button flashes and beeps - cooking is done
9.) Open lid and use spatula to lift steam basket
10.) Remove liquid from bottom of cooking unit (depending on what you cooked you may want to reuse the steam liquid for pureeing, but you may not) - reserve liquid if you want to reuse it
11.) Add cooked food to the cooking unit, place the lid cover on top of the cooking container, and the close the lid.
12.) Turn the puree control and puree food product. Add steam liquid, water, forumla, or breast milk. (If using breast milk, it must be fresh if you plan to freeze the babyfood. Breast milk should never be refrozen).

Storing:
I use silicone baby food trays for initial freezing and then remove and keep frozen in Zip Lock Freezer bags. Babyfood can be frozen for 3 months. All food used for babies should be cooked for the first year, including fruit.